A Challenge and a Half
by Virtual Gamer
Summary: Part of the 100 themed challenge, all written from the perspective of Eugene Sims. Themes and ratings vary, but please, feel free to enjoy.
1. 1 Introduction

I don't know what prompted me to do it on that day. However, what the initial cause was, was very clear; it was engraved into my head, and buried deep down in every little fiber of my entire being. But for it to be that day in specific, I was never sure. Maybe it was some sort of gut feeling, where I knew I couldn't just hide in the shadows anymore, like I always wanted, and preferred.

Plus, it did help that he had just landed in the Lantern District and helped to lower the D.U.P. control over the area...

I didn't even need a phone, really. But I used one anyway, so there would be some sort of tracking device. I wanted him to be able to track me, or, at the very least, call me back. He was-and still is-a huge inspiration to me. And for what he was doing for everyone in Seattle, well...I couldn't just let him do it all without, at least, offering any help.

It was easy to contact him; just had to find my way through the connections, through the wires of technology, and locate the one with his voice, during one of his phone conversations. And of course I wouldn't tell him who I was, unless he asked. What I am, though...that's another story. I have to make him believe that I'm human, and that I'm...normal.

All I had to do, was to bring the phone up close, turn it to speaker mode, and…

"Hi...is this Delsin Rowe..?"

" Yeah..? Who's this…?" Part of me...knew I had him hooked. Just...had to keep going, and hope for the best. 


	2. 2 Complicated

It should have been so simple. It was always so simple when he did it alone. That being said, there wasn't ever a smoking hot conduit 'assisting' in his own personal way, and he could have always had his angels doing everything without any sort of hesitation. But with Delsin running about, shooting smoke bombs at everyone, things got...troublesome. And fast.

"Delsin, lure them outside. My angels can't get to them from here." He's sitting at the several monitors, all facing the car ramps where a few conduits were being held, and trying to watch for every vantage point he can find. But each one keeps getting destroyed by that spontaneous variable, and he's making it very difficult for his angels to work.

"What was that, Gameboy? Can't hear you over all this action I'm getting. Really, you should come out more. Enjoy the life of the party, huh?" He laughs a little, and it makes him sink down a little at his desk, uneasy about the whole situation.

"Just..focus on what you're doing, okay? I need a good shot if I'm going to be able to get the crate outside, without hurting anyone else. Could you at least clear some sort of path for me?"

Eugene will forever regret the following events. Especially when he sees part of the cement being blown apart, creating this huge gap for his angels to easily fit in. And all he receives from the other line of the phone is that satisfied laugh.

"There you go, Eugene, buddy!" And even then, there's a mass of D.U.P. agents moving into formation, attacking not only his angels, but Delsin as well.

If he could have just stuck to the plan, everything wouldn't have ended up so complicated... 


	3. 3 Making History

It feels...really good to be able to help Delsin and Abigail. It felt even better to watch as Augustine was taken down, swiftly and forcefully, by the power-absorbing conduit. The fear in her eyes as it was over, to know that she had failed...it almost makes up for the years stuck in Cudun Cay. Almost.

Yet, it was...also really hard to not want to celebrate with everyone, especially since Seattle was no longer in the hands of the D.U.P., but...that's not where Eugene was used to fitting into. And how he tried so hard to get out of going to the outrageous party set for them-or, really just Delsin-in celebration of the city's marked freedom.

And it's not like he didn't want to celebrate from all the hardships they all had endured, and to feel the release of those memories slowly fading, despite how they'd never permanently disappear. He just..didn't do well in crowds. Or with loud noise. He was perfectly content spending his time in his domain, keeping to himself, and only communicating with his two friends.

But here he was, inside the noise and inside the life of the party, with chants of their names and cheers and laughter and it all felt so right. He still shied away, enough to let Fetch and Delsin claim more of the glory, but it was always short lived, as the later would always shove him forward to urge the crowd to cheer louder. With his name. And despite wanting to turn invisible and to hide away, he tried to accept it, as best as he could.

"We did it, guys." Fetch yelled above the cheers and chants. "We're making history!" 


	4. 4 Rivalry

Eugene can't remember the last time he was in a situation like this. It was like there were two sides to him, good and evil, battling against one another for the right of...what, he wasn't sure. Maybe what he'd become? Only, the problem was, that it was a reflection of himself. A apparation, really, because he was sure that he was the only one that could see a stronger and more confident 'self'. And that made him the 'good' side.

"Why do you keep helping them? They only want to hurt you." It, or, 'he' spoke, voice sounding louder than he was really expecting. It made him flinch in response, and it made him a little more relieved in the solitary situation to know that no one could see it.

But to be fair, he wasn't really sure. Delsin made conflicting actions, and it often left him wondering if he should be fighting for, or against, the 'normal' people of society. And the darker side of him picked up on it, instantly, for its lips curved up into this grin.

"Exactly. You could make everyone pay for all the times you'd been pushed down. All the times you fell to the ground, and every time the air was kicked out of your lungs. Admit it; you want to feel that power. You want to make everyone pay."

And he did. He really, sincerely did. But the issue was that he also didn't. He didn't want others to suffer, and he especially wanted to help everyone that he could. He wanted to be the 'good guy'. That's what was so difficult about everything.

But he felt himself begin to succumb to it. He wanted so badly to just lower his head and accept the truth that he did want everyone to pay, but before he could even open his mouth to speak, the opening of his domain swung open, with a very excited Delsin climbing inside.

"Eugene, buddy! Got some good news! We scored another victory, and food's on Fetch today. Wanna come celebrate?"

It...startled him. Enough that it had his attention towards the door, and though he couldn't see the conduit, he could imagine that huge grin on his face and the slight jump in his walk. So much that when he turned his head, he flinched when he saw that shadow of himself had already faded into nothingness.

He really didn't want to go against humans; he really didn't want to end them in a fit of anger and anguish from years and years of heartache, but for now, he'd stay on the side of 'good', helping as he could until the image of his darker side faded.

...Or, until he finally surrenders. Whichever comes first. 


	5. 5 Unbreakable

It was like it happened in slow motion. Very slow motion. And if he could have controlled time, he still probably would not have been able to save it.

And poor Delsin, looked just as shocked as Eugene felt. Then his face changed. He looked so sincere, so apologetic, so guilty...But as soon as he opened his mouth, time seemed to speed up in double time. He shook his head quickly.

"Don't." He grumbled past his own shock. His movements felt slow and sluggish, despite how tense he felt. Fingers cupped at the broken monitor that had fallen from the desk, straight onto the floor. The one he had been fixing up. The one that he claimed would have been unbreakable…

...And this asshole managed to break it within two seconds of seeing it.

His head was down, and at first, he wasn't sure if he had thought the words, or said them aloud. Regardless, Delsin had apparently missed the words, as well, because he asked for a repeat. And his hands only clenched onto the broken pieces that he could.

"...I said, get out." Slow. Steady at first. But he took in this deep, long breath, and it came out louder the next time. "Out, Delsin. Out!"

And he had never seen Delsin look so shocked. It took him a couple of hours before he even began to believe that Eugene had calmed down enough to at least talk to over the phone, and another few before he actually did. He'd feel guilty for being so harsh later, when he wasn't fuming.


	6. 6 Obsession

So close...so..very close…

To the television screen, to the next level up...everything! -he was ready for it. He had been working so hard on it for the past week straight since the 2 XP started up, and he's already blasted his way through three upgrades. He just needed to get a little further, wait just a little longer, and victory would be his…

...To look at from afar, that is, because a very child like conduit came up from behind him and draped his arms on his shoulders and he let his forehead fall against his neck.

"Eugene, stop playing. I'm bored." It didn't deter the video conduit from his work, despite how he flinched from the contact. Always did.

"H-hang on. I wanna finish getting enough experience for-"

"-your next level up. Yeah, nerd, I get it. But I'm really, Really bored, and you said we'd do something today."

Part of him genuinely began to sift through his head to see if he could remember that. He tries to brush the Akomish off of him.

"...I did no such thing." He grumbled aloud. Of course, it was just a guess. And it was a half-hearted one, at best, because another horde of monsters came his way, and most of his focus went straight to the screen.

"Well, yeah, maybe you didn't say it in those exact words, but we should do something."

"We will, we will. I-I promise. Just let me-Yes! Finally! Just gotta equip this armor, my new weapon, and-" On the screen, a quest log opened, revealing a new mission. And as his eyes scanned over it, Delsin began to shake him.

"Oh, no, Gameboy; you said you were going to go out After your next level up. That's already happened."

That was right, but...that doesn't mean he wanted to go out, into the searing heat, just to burn his eyes for an hour with the thought of food in mind. "Can I just...finish this mission before we go? I-it's not too far at all, and it shouldn't take me more than an hour."

He received a loud, obnoxious groan of annoyance. "God, you...you're so obsessed with this thing, it's not even funny! Maybe we should find you someone so you won't be so occupied with…." As far as Eugene was concerned, it was completely drowned out by the sound of how powerful his character had become. 


	7. 7 Eternity

Surely it isn't just Eugene that has friends that will do, and say, anything they can to convince anyone and everyone to go to parties. And he's sure that he's not the only one that doesn't want to go to a party to begin with, but it seems like those quietly voiced opinions were brushed away with ease by his taller friend.

"C'mon, Eugene, buddy! It'll be fun! And besides, we won't be there for long, so you can always just go in, enjoy yourself for a while, and we'll be domain-bound before you know it."

At least, that's what he had said. And a half an hour into the party, and Eugene's surprised that he's willed his way through this much of it. It started out simple: they found their way to food, Delsin kept everything lively, and before the gamer could even blink, the former was already among a crowd of people, showing off and telling some dramatic story of how he saved Seattle. Which left Eugene, alone, where he wandered over to the couch to try to sit alone, and away from everyone else.

Which, to be fair, wasn't too difficult, since everyone's attention was on Delsin.

He had looked around for the first few minutes, then went back to the table of food so he could at least try to blend in again, but it was quickly abandoned for his spot back on the couch. He played with the hem of his sweatshirt as he listened to all the 'ooh's and 'aahh's that Delsin was ringing from everyone.

Not even an hour in, and he felt like he couldn't last through this torture. That's why he stood awkwardly, made sure not to draw Delsin's attention, and managed to slip past the front door; he didn't want to cause a scene or a fuss for anyone though he wanted to make his way back home, he wouldn't leave his friend behind. He just..had to figure out how to wait out this extended sense of eternity. 


	8. 8 Gateway

For some reason, Eugene had called his friend to come over. He hadn't even been egged on to show off this power, but part of him really wanted to demonstrate it, and to perhaps lend a hand in letting his friend understand just how to perfect his Video power.

"It's very simple, okay?" He said while reaching down to pick up two wires. One was an extension cord, already almost completely taken up by other plugs, but there was just one left, and it was for his gaming console. "I'm not sure how well I can hold the power to let you in, but at the very least, this is worth a shot."

"Alright, nerd, I get it; you're excited. But uh..do you mind telling me what this does, before I get dragged in again? Like all those other times you decided to drag me into your game?"

He kind of looked down at that, feet shifting slightly out of a nervous habit. "This isn't like that. Not completely, I mean. Just…" He lifts his hands in a gesture for him to get closer. "Put your hands on mine. That'll make a connection so it'll be easier for me to get you in."

As soon as Delsin began to laugh, he kind of shrank back a little. And he jumped slightly when he felt much, much warmer hands on top of his own. "Alright, alright. Lay it on me, Gameboy."

"O-okay.." He had this look of concentration. Pure concentration, because he wasn't sure how well he could even get this to work. So he closed his eyes when the plug was aligned, pushed it in, and immediately let his powers set into motion.

First, there was this blue, pixelated glow that came from the cord, then from his hands, to eventually cover over the both of them. It was like they were being sucked out of existence, and into the television screen, because when he opened his eyes, they weren't standing in the darkness of his domain; they were standing in front of this screen, looking into the room they were just standing in.

"Woah..now that is new." Delsin mused aloud, looking around the white static world behind them. "Does it have any other functions?"

"It..isn't really that new. I've dragged you into one of my games before, but this is just what video looks like when it isn't hooked up to something that's playing. It's...more of a gateway to different worlds, and with this power, you can choose where you go off to."

Those lips curved up into this cocky grin, and Eugene could see just how excited he was getting from all the possibilities. It made his chest tight with pride that he could even help the other to understand a power that he's already seemed to perfect.

"Dude, you really are a nerd!" 


	9. 9 Death

Years had past since he had been sent off under the care of Augustine. Nearly seven, to be specific. All because he had been pushed so far...too far to ever be able to go back. And all he can think about in times of solitude, when his games are closed down and he's laying back in his overly-soft bed, is how his life could have been if he wasn't a conduit-if he didn't have these powers.

He really does know that the only difference would be that he would have found an end to the bullying somehow, whether it be jumping into the bay with a cement block tied to his chest, or a bullet in his chest from being that kid in a school shooting. It would have been dependent on the confidence he doesn't seem to have, and how much of a message he would have wanted to send…

But he knows that he's a conduit, and that no matter how much he ponders, it won't change reality.

And then, it makes his mind trail to how reality played out while he was gone. What happened to everyone that bullied him? How much success do they have, or is it lack-there-of? How many kids did they have? How has it felt to live a normal life…?

It had been a long time since he had wondered, spitefully, how his mother had been. She was the one that had signed for the D.U.P. to be up and running in the first place. Hell, she was the one that had personally called Augustine to haul him away; she had been too afraid to contain him, herself. It wasn't difficult to find that information out, either, and he usually gets this blank look in his eyes when he retraces the memories through his head.

How he had sat at his computer monitors, files open, reading every newspaper article and website page. How he could feel himself trembling. How his glasses shifted part of his hood when he harshly rubbed his palms at his damp eyes.

He didn't even know his mother that well; she was always too busy governing part of the state for her to ever really have time for him, and he did hate her for a long time. That doesn't mean he forgot that she was all he really had in this world. And that doesn't mean that each headline didn't make his chest tighten and his heart sink. Not to mention how the pictures of her dead eyes burned into his memory.

From what he understood, it had been self-inflicted; she had lost her position when it was let out into the media that her own son was a conduit, and it had left her in such a distorted state that it drove her into insanity. Doctors prescribed anti-depressants, and it had ultimately drove her to taking an old strip of rope and…

Eugene breathed a slow, ragged sigh. He shouldn't feel this bad for her, especially all that she had put him through. But he couldn't help it. The back of his hands wiped at the burning tears that kept trying to slide down his cheeks, and he tried to get his mind to move away from all those images and all of those headlines…

And all that did for him was to have that voice in the back of his head beat him down some. He shouldn't be this weak, not when Abigail and Delsin had it so much worse than he did. They each had siblings that actually cared for them, and it brought them to their demise. All he had was a mother that was so ashamed of him that she couldn't find it in her to live anymore.

But..maybe that's what had him so devastated; he grew up to be such a disappointment, that he had to hide himself to feel secure. He had no one that was proud of all that he had done, and it made him feel so..so alone.

He shifted around so he was lying on his side. He wanted to curl up. He wanted to hide and disappear. He wanted to avoid every troubling thought. But it never happened, and when he finally did drift off to sleep, it was with the image of his own mother, neck bruised from the rope, and eyes staring into him with all the despondency that drove her to madness. 


	10. 10 Opportunities

He had a choice. Either kill this man in front of him, or spare him and let him go. And it was a tough call.

See, this man pinned down by his swords was so familiar...so very familiar. That angled jaw line, those clenched fists...The only real differences besides the slight puffing of his cheeks from years of weight gain and the wrinkles of age taking hold, would be how those eyes no longer held the taunting gaze, but rather this one of ultimate fear.

It wasn't a surprise, though; he no longer had the cheers and chants behind him to fuel his actions. Those days had long since passed, and yet they burned into Eugene's head forever.

After all, he was the reason his powers had been unleashed. He was the reason he had been abducted and sent to Curdun Cay. He was the reason for nearly seven years of confinement, on top of years of being beaten down and bullied.

He could take out all of this revenge on him; to teach him a lesson or two, and to make him fully regret all of the pain he had been forced to endure.

And he was sure that he...couldn't. That, despite how much he desperately wanted him to pay, that it wasn't like him. He was above it.

If Delsin could spare the life of Augustine for worse, then...he could spare this man's life, as well. And just like that, the swords began to pixelate and disappear all together. And the man sucked in this breath that he had been holding, in fear of what was to happen to him. After a long moment of silence, he slowly moved to stand up on the concrete rooftop.

"You're...letting me go..?" It was quiet, timid-the complete opposite of how he had sounded all those years ago. And Eugene didn't say anything for a while.

But after a second or two, he shrugged. "What would I gain if I didn't? I'm a conduit, not a monster."

He didn't stick around to wait for what would come next. He was so close to deciding to end that man that had brought him to what he knows now. He gave this one last look before closing the door to the rooftop. Just because he was a conduit, doesn't mean that he can't at least leave with the decency of a human. 


	11. 11 33

It was a cursed number for him.

He never, ever let his electronics reach that low, and he certainly did not let his characters reach that low in health or mana. And yet, here he was, with only 33%, not only his phone, but his laptop as well.

And he was so far away from any sort of power source, it isn't even funny. That being said, it doesn't help that he was trying to avoid anything dealing with the summer heat with a beach umbrella being his only protection from the sun. Everything had been charged up to full power overnight, and yet somehow, everything was already so low in power that his nerves were starting to burn with the anxiety.

Now he was sitting there, nearly glaring at the little battery symbols as though he could get the energy from the effort to transfer. It didn't. And his fears of it all shutting off on him would soon become a reality.

"C'mon, Eugene. Have a little fun. We're at the beach, and you're supposed to be doing more than just playing your Angels and Demons."

He slowly shut his own laptop. At the very least, he could save some battery power by not using them both at the same time. And with it carefully placed inside his bag, he looks up at the other.

"The cliff side is hardly considered the 'beach'. A-and I've told you before: I'm not good with diving a hundred feet to water that I've never been in. Or diving…" Or swimming, for that matter. His eyes shifted Fetch as she jumped off the edge, before going straight back to Delsin, just in time to watch as he rolled his eyes.

"You don't have to dive. You could just splash your feet around, or something. C'mon. You forget that there's a world outside of technology, and you should experience it."

He looks down at that, because not only does he know that Delsin's right, but because he's also gets that the reason he was asked to come along was as a way for all of them to hang together. And it's really hard for him to actually press for his phone to shut off, but when it's off and set on his bag, a hand's offered out for him.

"Just relax. We wouldn't throw you into the water unless you told us to." He gives a timid nod and slowly grabs that hand to help pull himself up.

When he finally decides to settle inside the water, he finds that it's a lot more enjoyable than he had initially believed. He never lowers his head into the water, but he does cling to a rock to watch as Fetch runs up the side of the cliff with a trail of Neon right behind her, and for Delsin to run and jump off the edge with a trail of smoke behind him.

Part of him decides that...maybe 33% isn't always as bad as he had believed. 


	12. 12 Dead Wrong

They had thought that the threat of the D.U.P. had died off with the capture of Augustine. That they could handle any of the military that came their way, especially when the cement power wasn't being utilized as often as it once had.

But they were dead wrong.

It was a new threat with an old face, and it was one no one could have predicted. And it started with the capture of conduit by the hundreds.

Eugene hadn't been able to find much about it through the cables and news, beyond how part of the D.U.P. were beginning to recapture more, what they had called, bioterrorists. That title had been dead for months, but it seemed as though someone voiced their concern about rogue conduits, and the D.U.P. turned their focus towards them.

However, the title itself was abused, and anyone who had powers were labeled as a bioterrorist. Again. And yet, since they had been through this once before, a repeat should have been twice as easy to conquer.

But it's always hard to find a threat that hides itself in the shadows and knows how to skillfully take in any suspect without notice and without detection. And, it should have been so much easier Eugene to find, compared searching the streets like Fetch and Delsin had been doing. And somehow, they had managed to find the dominion, because he hadn't received or given a single call to either of those two, and yet the men in gear forced their way in before he could even blink.

And he had been in this situation once before. As soon as the door had cracked from the force, he was invisible and in hiding. But they had some tricks up their sleeves, and they were apparently using some sort of heat scanner, because all the laser pointers of their guns pointed to his chest, right where his heart was, without too much effort.

His heart felt like it was in his throat, and the constant thudding was nearly deafening. He didn't hear them coming. He didn't even get the chance to look at the lasers on him. Hands were up in surrender and an instant later, a sharp stinging pain shot through the side of his neck. The dark room grew darker, and he hadn't even noticed that he had fallen unconscious until he woke up in a white room, arms behind his back and tied together with a couple zip ties, and completely disoriented.

...Despite it, he knew he wasn't getting out of this one unless someone entered the room. And even though it felt like an eternity later, the only movement was a small slot of the door opening with a small tray of food. Nothing more.


	13. Running Away

They couldn't have been there for longer than a day. He was sure of it. Someone had managed to slip up and bring their cell phone into the room, and it had been easy for him to turn around, open his hand, and drain the Video from it. Though it was a small bit of power, it was easy enough to manipulate it into the smallest sword he's ever made, and slice through the zip tie. And with his hands free…

...He had managed to do...absolutely nothing. Because he was exhausted and still just a little disoriented. But when he had seen the fault in the situation, it hadn't have mattered; the security guard had fallen forward when an audible 'clunk' sounded from the back of his head. He was certain he had this look of horror on his face from the display.

The guard had a chunk of concrete through the back of his helmet and into his head. When he looked up, Delsin looked just as shocked as he felt.

"...I see you had it all under control, Gameboy. C'mon…" He grabbed at his upper arm and carefully dragged Eugene towards the door. He winced and sluggishly moved. His glasses were partially cracked, but he was still drugged, and his mind could barely comprehend what was going on. He was surprised he had made it as far as he had.

Down a hallway or two, and three more security guards and five cameras later, and Eugene had managed to find his voice. "D..D-Delsin, w-where are we…?" He didn't say anything at first. His brows were furrowed in concentration, like he was trying to be sure that they didn't get captured and locked away again.

"In some holding unit. Where? Dunno." They turned another corner, and Eugene thought he was going to vomit. "Fetch should be around here somewhere...she's off playing 'hero' without us." Words weren't being processed in his head, and he didn't respond because he didn't know how to.

Seemed as though Delsin understood that much, and it was probably because of this blank expression on his face. But he continuously guided him to where they had to go, without hesitation. "Not too much further, I hope. Just...stay together-or, at least, more together than you are now, okay, Eugene?" Still no answer. He was lost in his own little world of his. A relapse, really, of how he had been in the almost same exact position before. Back in confinement. Locked up.

He hadn't even heard Abigail's voice, but when he snapped out of this little world he seemed to be lost in, it was because she had grabbed his shoulders reassuringly and carefully shook him to get him to snap out.

"Wh...huh?" He squinted past the cracks in his lenses, but she didn't seem to mind. She stopped shaking him, but her hands tightened in a reassuring squeeze.

"Deep breaths, Eugene. We're going to be out of here very soon. Delsin's dealing with them."

"He's dealing with..who?" Or, what, he means to ask. Can't seem to be able to do that, though. He still feels so sluggish…

"They're-Shit. I'll tell you later. We need to go." He can feel her pulling his arm over her shoulder, and soon he's being guided, a little too quickly, towards an opening in the broken concrete. Then fresh air on his face, mixed with the blinding light of the sun. Whatever was happening, he was a little too lost to comprehend it, and he wanted nothing more than to pass out and wake up from this nightmare.

But for right now, he's moving as fast as he can in the direction he's being led. Anywhere familiar would be more of a welcomed change than where they just were. 


	14. 14 Judgement

The trio were currently sitting at a small table that they had brought into the dominion, simply for dining purposes. Delsin was currently sitting at the table, legs elevated with one crossed over the other. Fetch was in a similar position, but her feet were resting on his lap, instead. One of her arms were draped over her chair, and her body was tilted towards the table, and they were on one side. It left Eugene to be on the other, somewhat curled up close to his own Chinese take-out.

He had been rolling the steamed dumpling against its carton for the past couple of minutes, lost in thought. The other two were talking about something. He wasn't sure anymore. He had drifted out of their conversation at the beginning of their meal, and they were casually chatting. That is, until he heard his name on Abigail's tongue. He glanced up.

"Glad you've made a safe landing from your plane of thoughts, buddy." Delsin laughed a little, but it didn't meet his eyes. He looked concerned, and so did Abigail. With both eyes on him, he slowly curled in a little more on himself, as though he could hide a little easier that way.

Fetch nodded a little. "You've been zoning a lot lately. Everything okay?" He pressed his lips together in a flat line. He didn't like making them worry. He carefully nodded in response, eyes staying down on his dumplings.

"D-do...you guys think that...that if...the situation with...Augustine happened again...and...we had to team up to be sure that they could be stopped...that...I could be...He who Dwells again, but...not?"

He...hadn't been able to use that much of his power in a while, but that wasn't his main concern. He was worried that, if the situation came, he wouldn't be able to calmly react. Part of him...really wanted to smite those who looked down on him, or anyone, for that matter. He felt like he was out for blood, and it was making his head hurt. He didn't know what to do anymore.

Delsin laughed at first, this time a little more meaningfully. Like he thought Eugene was joking. But one look from Fetch, and a glance back to Eugene, cut it short.

"That...Eugene, man, that made no sense whatsoever." He picked at the lo mein with his chopsticks, ready for another mouthful. "But, yeah. You just need the confidence. Remember? The more confident you got, the more powerful you were. It's all 'mind over matter,' as Reggie would say."

He glanced over at Fetch, who nodded in agreement. "He's right. You were incredible out there when you didn't let any of your fears stop you. You just have to do that again."

The gamer gave a slight nod because he knew that if he had tried to explain a little deeper, it'd just make more of a mess of the whole conversation. So he kind of shrunk back to lean against the back of his chair. Took a deep breath in, and exhaled slowly.

"So..that new power you have, Delsin…." Said man grinned began to charge into this rant of how amazing this new technique he made on his own was. Abigail occasionally glanced back over at Eugene, and he kept his focus on Delsin. He changed the subject for a reason, and if he can try to stay engaged in this, then...then maybe the urges wouldn't be as strong, and the uneasiness wouldn't feel so hot in his mind. They'd see when the time comes if he'd be able to pass judgement as he once had in that deep, gaming voice. 


	15. 15 Seeking Solace

He had felt so secure, so calm, and it was rare for him.

His head was resting down against the armrest of the couch and he felt so at ease, eyes drifting shut occasionally with the urge to sleep. He cherished moments like these, where he wasn't constantly plagued by the memories of bullies...of being locked away in Curdun Cay..

It was short lived, though.

A troubled mind always turns, always moves, always drifts...and something managed to make his chest tight. A memory, really, but it's quick to trigger one of his attacks. And as soon as he starts feeling his breath speed up, he knows he's in trouble.

He can't say for sure as to how it started; last he recalled, he had been plotting through a new strategy for Heaven's Hellfire, and before he knew it, he was thinking about what would happen if his powers just...one day stopped. Completely. And he was inside his game.

What would become of him? Would his molecules split apart? Would he end up back onto his couch as though nothing had happened? What if he died from something like that, with no warning, no message to anyone else, no..nothing. And it truly terrified him.

Enough to trigger one of his anxiety attacks, right from where he was laying. His chest felt as though there was a heavy weight on it, crushing the air that he's so desperately trying to suck in.

It's hard for him to stand with how hard he's shaking. His arm barely sustains the weight when he tries to push himself up, and he feels dizzy from the overdose of oxygen he's getting by hyperventilating. And despite wanting to just lay there, he knows it's better to get up and at least pace.

So that's what he does when he's up on weak legs. He's shaking hard, and he grabs at his arms to rub the anxiety away. It's this vicious cycle of stepping and scratching, like he's trying to find purchase to a security that isn't there. But the movement gets the tears to slow, and the attempt at steady breathing helps, as well. Slowly, but surely.

It still feels like the world around him is falling apart, like there's no way he'll be able to grab all the pieces and set it all straight. He bites at his lip and paces a little quicker. Fingers tighten their hold to stop the major amounts of trembling, and he counts out loud to find some sort of relief-to not think of the panic that wants to rise in his throat again. His chest feels tight, still, and it's just barely letting up.

By the count of 50, the tears have stopped. By 75, he's not trembling as hard. And by 88, it starts right back up when he hears something from the doors keeping him safe inside. Whether it's friend or foe, he doesn't want anyone to see him like this. He just needs a distraction, and that's what he keeps telling himself. He's almost afraid to even go into his favorite game, in fear that he'll snap and it'll become a trigger rather than a relief.

He slowly comes to a stop by his several monitors. Despite it all, despite knowing that this is something that will help, he nearly shies away from it. What if this becomes a source of the anxiety? He swallows down the fear just long enough to put his hands on the screens-to be sucked out of this turmoil of reality. He'll get his sanctuary, even if he has to make it, himself. 


	16. 16 Excuses

Eugene couldn't help the fact that he was closing up again.

Anyone would, if they had gone through more pain than he had initially believed, which wasn't an easy feat.

He hadn't even gone anywhere different. It was a quick walk to the store from his dominion, and suddenly he had been jumped. He had been face first in cement, glasses broken, and hands pinned to the ground. Not to mention the knife pressed to his back.

They didn't ask him to do anything; they robbed him, themselves, by picking through all of his pockets, while one of them dug through his bag. They had taken everything, from his wallet, to his laptop, and even the food he had just bought.

And he had thought that the most damage he had gotten was a heavily-bleeding gash on his temple and a slight cut on the bridge of his nose. But it had been the walk home that had done so much more than that.

He was blind, save for the haze of streets and buildings. And it wasn't like he could just call anyone with the phone that he didn't have anymore. But he had made it back, with the help of an angel or two to guide him on his way.

His trembling hand shoved the door open just enough for him to step down without resistance. From there, he could navigate without sight, but that didn't matter when he wasn't the only one in the room. He was just thankful it was dark, and that the game was glowing on his biggest television. It meant that Delsin was occupied.

"Why is this game so hard? I'm soo tempted to just stop playing now." The conduit seethed with a tighter grip on the controller. Sounded like it was getting close to breaking from the frustration.

"...It..might help if you...didn't skip the tutorial.." He mused aloud. He keeps himself hidden by the pillar of technology between them, and uses an old shirt to dab some of the blood away. It just barely works, since the cuts are a little deeper than he'd like to admit.

"Yeah, yeah. This game is dicks." He grumbles. The sound of the controller hitting the floor is a good indication that he's going to be getting up. So Eugene takes his cue to make his way to the bathroom, instead, with the bloody evidence of the encounter earlier still in hand. And though Delsin follows as far as he can, he takes his time, oblivious to the pain the Video Conduit's in.

"So, did you get the food?" Eugene swallowed the lump in his throat. The cut from his glasses is deep, and though it's been a few minutes, it's still lazily bleeding. He dabs at it now that part of his shirt has been soaked with water.

"N-no. They...they declined my card. I came back empty handed…" Not a complete lie, but it's close enough. "What?! So, you mean to tell me that we won't be having food tonight to go with the gaming?"  
"W-well," He hisses when a sharp pain runs up through the rest of his face from the dab at his temple. "We've..got some food in the fridge, somewhere. We'll just snack on that for tonight."  
But Delsin didn't sound convinced. In fact, Eugene could hear him shift a little to lean in closer to the bathroom door. "Eugene? You okay?"

He's tempted to lie through his teeth. But with him virtually blind, he knows that it won't be the best decision to just try to brush him off. So he opens the door and peeks up through the little opening.

"These guys...three, I think in total, jumped me. T-took everything…" He didn't get to finish, though, as Delsin took the chance to open the door just a little more.

"...And you didn't tell me right when you walked in, because..?"

He bites at his lip. Can't see his facial expression, but he can assume that he knows what it looks like from that tone. "...It...wasn't that bad..

"I…I mean, yeah, it was, but...y'know..the adrenaline and everything..Felt like I couldn't say anything about the subject.."

Delsin audibly sighed. Sounds like he bought the excuse, because he placed his hand on Eugene's shoulder to guide him to sit down on the toilet seat.

"Well, then...try to take a deep breath, gameboy. I'll help to patch you up." And he did. A few pained hisses and grunts and apologies later, he had his nose all bandaged up, and he just needed to get his temple worked on.

"I-I'm sorry, D."

"For?" He asked when he had figured out how to peel part of the bandage from the plastic and correctly place it on the gash to keep it somewhat closed.

"...For the excuses. They stole the food, too."

He stopped his work on the gash. "They...damn it! that food was going to be so satisfying, too." But from how he went back to wiping the blood, it was evident he didn't really care too much about that at the moment. 


	17. 17 Vengeance

He can't say that he did it because he had wanted to. It was just an urge.

A terrible, carnal urge that...Eugene didn't even know he had until that man in the hood came. Life had been normal for him, where he had been sitting there, at his computer screen, watching around the city for any D.U.P. activity that could be lurking. They didn't need a repeat of what had already happened before.

And, seemingly out of nowhere, there was this scream over one of the lines. When he had tried to find a good view of the location through nearby cameras, it had been startled him, to say the least. But he brushed it off as a new conduit that had some vague control over electricity.

It hadn't even occurred to him until a couple of days later, when he was out on a 'top secret mission' with Delsin and Fetch, that the source of that scream he had heard, would rear its ugly face. Or, partially hidden face.

He had been shoved so hard against the nearest brick wall that he could actually feel his brain shake in his head, and it had been enough to make him feel sick to his stomach. He'd never admit that anything happened, but he could never forget how that deep voice had rattled him to the core. He'd never forget how he could see those piercing, vivid red eyes bore into him in the fading sunlight, nor how those words had caused this new feeling inside of him.

Never had he felt so unlike himself. Never had he felt so...demonic.

Since that evening, he kept himself sealed shut within his dominion, away from prying eyes, and away from reality. It's the only way he knows that the man in the hood can't find him, and can't traumatize him more than he has already. But, even then, it hasn't stopped him from 'accidentally' unleashing a few of his demons on the civilians who haven't done anything wrong…

And it's never stopped him from siding with a few of the 'bad guys' to get stronger weapons, or to level up faster.

...When he figures out what's wrong with him, he will find the man that managed to corrupt part of his mind, and he will put a stop to him. Until then, he needs to satisfy the urge to grow stronger, and that's exactly what he's planning on doing. 


	18. 18 Love

It had been a week since he had disappeared into the depths of his games for the relief they brought.

An entire week, that felt more like a couple of months. It's enough to get his head cleared, and to fall back into the rhythm of saving the damsels in distress, to stop the monsters in their tracks, and to collect a few items for the humbled wizards, without the urge to use his demons on the good and innocent.

That's not to say he didn't still do it occasionally, just to know he was still the one in control.

Of course, those urges began to fade when a new princess was introduced to the server. It was hard not to fall in line and try to protect such an angelic being from the cruelty of the kingdom. Not once did he use his demons around her. He made sure to keep just enough control so he could easily use his angelic powers, and look like a prince in shining armor. Something...that he desperately tried to be.

The only problem was that she seemed to have her own sort of free will. Never before had he come across a character in game that he couldn't control. He didn't tend to delve into their minds and change them to his own accord, but that's not to say that he didn't sometimes do it when he needed an access code. He could do it to anyone, and the option was always there.

Except for her.

And maybe that's why he began to fall into this constant cycle of circling around the kingdom, waiting for her to return, just so he could try his chance at impressing her. Every day, it was the same; she'd descent from the tower, slip through the back, dressed as the common folk, and he'd try his chances at catching her attention.

...He usually chickened out at the last minute, letting his anxieties talk him out of a simple greeting. Until one day, he was running through more reasons to ditch out of seeing her, just to walk straight into her.

His cheeks heated up quickly when she had been shoved over, face first, into the dirt. Her once pale features were covered in mud, and he had apologized profusely for his carelessness. She had excused every single one of them.

The next day, he had tried hard to avoid her. But she had found him, anyway. With a smile on her face, she invited him up to the tower for dinner. There was no way he could decline, because she wouldn't let him.

And it became a routine to find her in the kingdom, dressed as a commoner, simply to follow her up to the castle and dine. Eugene didn't feel like that 'dashing' hero he once was. He often time skipped out on his adventuring, so he could enjoy the company of another person.

He didn't just like the change in pace; he Loved it. And this was something he was going to cherish for a long time. 


	19. 19 Tears

Everything was going so well. It seemed to be too good to be true.

He just...forgot that things that seem too good to be true, tend to be just that. 'Seemingly.'

…Things are not what they seem. How he had felt at ease in this new lifestyle of his, and how he had felt like he'd never return to reality...He hadn't thought much on that old life style of his He..couldn't consider it a 'life' style, just...more of a way to survive. He had grown so attached to this world he lives in now. In fact, he had no intention of leaving.

But the initial reason for him being there had eased out of his own head, and his reason for staying is currently bleeding out on his arms. Eugene couldn't even remember past a slight mix of anxiety and irritation. It was the first time he had acted so irrationally, and now...now the proof that he had called out one of his demons on the one person he truly cared about was so obvious, it was staring him in the face from the long puncture wound on her torso.

"It will be okay. All will be well…" She managed to breathe past lungs that were no longer functioning. And Eugene was panicking. This was a game...this was something he should be able to control. He should be able to just think her well, and it would be done. But no matter how many times he closed his eyes and willed it all away, when he looked down, the image was still the same. There was no altering this reality anymore.

"No...no, no, no, no...I'll..I'll fix this.. I-" He stopped when a hand brushed up against his cheek. She wiped away the tears he didn't even know were there, but as soon as her fingers moved away, more replaced them. He shifted slowly to be sure that he could keep her upright, while his now freed hand took hers.

"Fret not, Sims, for I shall always be with you. I..." Her grasp faded in his hand, as she grew limp in his arms. Eugene choked back a sob that was building in his throat. He couldn't even find it in him to move his glasses aside and wipe his eyes. He felt so alone...so cold…

And as soon as her body faded out of existence, he willed himself to disconnect from the game. He couldn't be there anymore, not when it felt so empty and void of its former glory. 


	20. 20 My Inspiration

It felt like grade school all over again.

The trio was relaxing back in their usual spots at the table, munching on pizza. But instead of it being the simple, light conversations that put Eugene at such blissful ease, it was like a severe case of sixty questions, with twenty per conduit. And for each question that arose, he gave short, meek replies.

They couldn't be further than seven questions in, and most of the pizza gone, and Eugene wanted nothing more than to escape from them. Sure, they were his friends and all, but it had felt like an eternity since he had last seen them. After...everything that he went through, he didn't feel as though he could ever look at them without thinking that he's about to accidentally lose himself.

"So!" Fetch mused with a bottle of coke in her hand. It dangled in her loose grip, but never once threatened to slip. "Next question. Inspiration! Who or what inspires each of us?" She glanced at Eugene, then at Delsin. The later shrugged and began to reach for another slice of pizza.

"I guess it'd have to be Reggie; a lot of my old art stemmed from messing with him, and trying to degrade him. Guess that's a good way to start some of my 'heroically handsome Banner Man inspirations' to the rest of the world, yeah?" He takes a bite, then nods at Eugene. "What about you, Gameboy? Besides double 'H', because I wanna hear about some person, not you...nerding out."

Eugene looked around nervously, at anything that wasn't them. They had this usual look of concern on their faces now that he hadn't been as quick to react. This is kind of what he was trying to avoid, but now it wasn't like it was something he could really do. So he closed his eyes and breathed a slow sigh.

"I...don't have any sort of inspiration. I don't think I ever have. Nothing that wasn't Heaven's Hellfire. But, that was really more of an escape. I guess it was...kind of some sort of inspiration for...my powers and everything, but…" He trails off. It's not like there's really anything else he can say to that, so he keeps his mouth shut. Fetch looks as though she's about to speak, but Delsin beats her to it by sitting up and leaning forward so he can put his hand on Eugene's shoulder. He flinches away, but that hand holds on tightly.

"Then, from now on, you've got us to inspire you, yeah? What's the point of running through the motions, if you've got nothing to keep you motivated?" He gives a reassuring squeeze before backing off, much to the gamer's relief and disappointment. He glances over at Fetch.

"Your inspiration?" He asked meekly. She gave this encouraging smile, and the game of twenty questions ensued. 


	21. 21 Never Again

It had taken a lot of convincing for Eugene to finally leave his dominion. Both Delsin and Fetch had been hinting at it for the past two weeks, and he finally decided to cave, alone, when he realized he had been staring at the posters to his games for the past few days, without ever touching the video power.

It..had been so long since he had last used those powers, and had even touched the video one, that he wouldn't be surprised if it no longer worked. He had been forced to use it every day since he had been captured by Augustine and the D.U.P., and had used it every day since the escape, as to be sure that he could save other conduits from a similar fate.

But now that he didn't have to use it as often, he simply chose not to. ...Because he was terrified of the consequences.

He didn't want to think of what could happen if he lost control again. Yet...he didn't know what would happen if he suddenly lost the powers, right when it was needed the most. So he'd occasionally hold his hands up and wait for them to flare with those familiar pixels. That was always the furthest extent.

Now, though...now was the time that he had grown tired of seeing the same walls, day after day after day. It wasn't much of a life, and now he was really beginning to realize that.

His own dominion was beginning to feel like a simple version of Curdun Cay. And he needed to leave to be sure that it didn't just grow to morph into that sort of hell that he's trying to escape.

So he pries the door open to the nighttime sky. It was an abrupt urge, and he didn't want to bother either of his friends with details about how he had decided that, on a whim, he wanted to leave the comfort of familiarity. He couldn't say that to either of them without them pushing him further than he was willing to go.

He lets his legs guide him forward; he's studied this area more than enough times to know where everything is through the cameras, and he knows he won't get lost. He's prepared for anything and everything that gets in his way.

...Except for that one thing that led him to grow distant from everything that was familiar. And he managed to stumble back into that very virus again. He didn't think much of it at first; just brushed it off as a phantom of his own mind; something that he was just thinking up with the peak of his own paranoia. But the figure turned, and he swears he can see a grin growing on that man's face.

His legs move on their own. Without thinking, he's already running out of there as fast as his legs can get him to go. Away from that figure...away from that voice, and those horribly familiar eyes. He just needs an out, and down around the corner of the block is the best way to go.

Yet, no matter how fast he thinks he is, or tries to believe he is, he's just not fast enough. He's yanked back by his bag, and he gets his glasses knocked right from the bridge of his nose from the momentum. But they're the least of his worries when that man turns him around.

"I've been looking for you," The man announces. Eugene starts to sink back like he'll disappear into his bag. He should have called one of his friends prior to leaving. Damn it for not thinking properly.

"Y-you...you were…?" He asks meekly. He doesn't like this man. Everything about him screams evil, and it makes him uneasy.

"Of course I was. I wanted to see how well you're adjusting with the seed. I see you've kept yourself hidden away. That won't last."

Eugene swallows hard and would try to duck away if he wasn't paralyzed with fear. "What do you-"

"You know very well what I mean. Those urges? They'll become very familiar to you soon." His glasses are handed back to him, and he's too frightened to ask just how he could have gotten a hold of them when he was in the other direction. There's no way he could have gotten a those glasses without moving to get them. And at that point, even though he's blind, he would have been able to see it happen.

"Wha…?"

"Don't tell anyone of this encounter. If you do, I'll be sure you regret it to the fullest."

And with that, Eugene was released with a slight shove. It knocked him off balance, and he had to do this awkward stumble to be sure he didn't collide with the ground, or a tree nearby. When he got his bearings and adjusted his glasses into place, the man was already gone.

Damn him for wanting to go out alone. It'd never happen again. 


	22. 22 Online

His shaking hands slowly curl around his laptop. Oh, how it had been so long since he had ever touched it-at least a solid 24 hours, but for the Video conduit, it was longer than he had really been used to. Ever since the last experience, within his game, he had lost a lot of interest in being anywhere near his own sanctuatry.

And where he is right now, with his own laptop pulled up closer than it should be, isn't _really _a situation you'd expect to see with someone who could _fly. _But yet, here he is, hands trying to absorb what video he can, because that's the one reason he's on a public plane to begin with...

...He can't _use _his powers.

It had been so long since he had last used it, that his system's burnt though more than he's ever felt before. And his mutations began to disable themselves into a sort of 'sleep' mode, in order to conserve energy. And it physically _drained _him.

...To the point where he _might _have gone just a little over the edge in mentality and maybe...just _maybe _went on an accidental killing spree.

And to be fair, it wasn't his fault-it was another loss of control over the powers that he still hasn't fully developed, and after that little crisis so _close _to Seattle...it's why he tries to leave, to disappear from the headlights of the bright city, and back to a sense of familiarity for him to _hide _at.

...On his way back to Delaware. And there's _nothing; _no internet, nothing for him to _connect _to, nothing to _test _his lack of powers with. And he has no intentions of draining the power souce from what's left of his computer, alone.

How he wants nothing more than to shove his hands into the flat screen-to feel the motherboards and wires cutting, _feeding _him power as a last means of sanity. But there's nothing to save him, nothing to absorb without him going through another freak-out, and especially nothing to save the plane from crashing if he just _accidentally _snaps, loses control, and _breaks the plane in half..._

...And none of this would even be a concern if he could just get an online connection. Maybe everyone would have been saved...


End file.
